1/07/2009

Senate Democrats and Obama Reversing Course on Seating Burris

Well, I guess getting another Democratic Senator in there right away than the moral outrage that the Democrats showed when his appointment was first announced. Today the NY Times has this:

After a private 45-minute meeting with the former Illinois state attorney general, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, and Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said that they were open to recognizing Mr. Burris’s appointment as long as he met several conditions. . . .

“If that comes to a positive conclusion, as we believe it will, the next step is for the Rules Committee to review what has come together here on a bipartisan basis and recommend to the United States Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, the next step,” Mr. Durbin said.

I know Roland Burris,” the president-elect said. “Obviously, I’ve — he’s from my home state. I think he’s a fine public servant. If he gets seated, then I’m going to work with Roland Burris, just like I work with all the other senators, to make sure that the people of Illinois and the people of the country are served.” . . .